Health Professionals

Health Professionals Brought to you by The Adviser

Fit, healthy and refreshing One way to beat the heat and keep fit and healthy is by hitting the lap pool just like local resident, Pam Pogue.

Photo: Katelyn Morse.

INSIDE: • Tips to prevent against heatstroke • Check with your GP before dieting •Skin cancer and you

The Adviser. Australia No. 1:1440 Wednesday, January 23, 2019 – Page 19

Health Professionals Keep cool

and healthy by

hitting the pool

WITH the temperature soaring recently, there is one thing that you can do that will not only help to cool you down but also has many health benefits associated with it; swimming.

Swimming is one of the most popular sports in Australia. As well as being fun, swimming is a low-impact, healthy activity that has many physical and mental health benefits.

Health benefits of swimming Swimming is a great workout because you need to move your whole body against the resistance of the water.

Swimming is a good all-round activity because it: • Keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off your body • Builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness • Helps maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs • Tones muscles and builds strength • Provides an all-over body workout, as nearly all of your muscles are used during swimming

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Other benefits of swimming Swimming has many other benefits including: • Being a relaxing and peaceful form of exercise • Alleviating stress • Improving coordination, balance and posture • Improving flexibility • Providing good low-impact therapy for some injuries and conditions • Providing a pleasant way to cool down on a hot day • Being available in many places – you can swim in swimming pools, beaches, lakes, dams and rivers.

Make sure that the environment you choose to swim in is safe Some general tips for swimming Before you dive in: • Make sure you know how to swim

TAKE A DIP… Swimming not only helps to cool you down during the hotter weather, but it also has many health benefits. Photo: Supplied.

• Choose a safe environment • Warm up and stretch your muscles and joints before entering the water • Have plenty of fluids on hand and drink regularly • Don’t overdo it if you’re just starting out • See your doctor if you haven’t exercised for a long time

Caring for Our Community Know your

heatstroke

WITH the temperature reaching into the 40s and lasting for several days, it is important that you look after yourself and others to help prevent or treat heatstroke.

Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition in which the body overheats when it can no longer maintain a healthy temperature. The high body temperature in heatstroke can lead to organ damage.

You can avoid heatstroke by taking precautions in very hot weather.

What is heatstroke?

• Heatstroke occurs when a person’s body temperature rises from about 37°C to above 40.5°C. It is sometimes called hyperthermia.

• Heatstroke needs immediate first aid to lower the body temperature as quickly as possible.

• Dehydration and heat exhaustion are milder types of heat-related illnesses.

What causes heatstroke?

• Heatstroke is caused by prolonged

exposure to heat. You can get heatstroke inside or outside. You can get it exercising in the heat.

You are more likely than others to get heatstroke if you are: • Over 75 or very young • Pregnant or breastfeeding • Overweight • Living alone, homeless or lacking social support • Working or exercising in hot conditions • Affected by chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes • Taking certain medications

Heatstroke symptoms The signs and symptoms of heatstroke include: • Rapid pulse and fast, shallow breathing • Trouble speaking, slurred speech • Problems concentrating or coordinating movements • Aggressive or strange behaviour • Dizziness, confusion, seizures or loss of consciousness • Sudden rise in body temperature

• Hot and dry and possibly red skin, possibly with no sweat • Dry, swollen tongue • Headache • Nausea or vomiting • Intense thirst

Heatstroke treatment Heatstroke is a medical emergency. If someone has heatstroke call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.

Meanwhile, give the person sips of cool fluid if possible and lay them in a cool shady place.

Lower their body temperature any way you can, for example by: • Removing excess clothing • Sponging or spraying them with water and fanning the damp skin • Immersing them in cool water • Placing cold packs under their armpits or groin, or on the back of their neck If a person with suspected heat stroke is unconscious, place them on their side with their mouth down (to drain any fluid) and the chin up to prevent possible suffocation.

Do not give aspirin or paracetamol

BEAT THE HEAT… Take care in the heat and stay cool and hydrated and watch for heatstroke. Photo: Supplied.

to someone with heatstroke as they may make things worse.

Heatstroke prevention Heatstroke is linked to dehydration, so in hot conditions: • Drink plenty of water – even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid hot or sugary drinks.

• Keep cool – try to avoid direct sun. Wear a hat and lightweight, loose-fitting, cotton clothing.

• Keep your house cool – close windows, shut curtains and blinds, and use air-conditioning if you have it.

• Help others – visit or phone friends, family and neighbours who are more at risk. Keep children cool and give them lots to drink. Ensure pets have plenty of water and shade. Never leave babies, children or animals alone in a car.

• Have a plan – know who to call if you need help, and follow your doctor’s advice if you have any medical conditions.

Postpone or cancel any activities, or reschedule them to a cooler part of the day or a cooler location.

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Health Professionals Care for

your feet

MOST of us are on our feet all day long, and while our feet haul us through thousands of steps per day, we don’t often take the time to give our feet the care they need and deserve.

Foot health 101 • Don’t wear too-tight shoes • Don’t share shoes • Don’t share pedicure utensils with your friends • Don’t hide discoloured nails with polish. Let them breathe and treat the underlying issue • Don’t shave calluses • Don’t perform ‘DIY surgery’ on an ingrown nail • Do try the Legs-Up-the-Wall yoga pose after a long day or a hard workout.

• Do give yourself a foot massage or book a reflexology session • Do roll a tennis ball under your feet • Do soothe irritation with a vinegar foot soak

What’s the best way to tackle rough skin and calluses?

We brush our teeth and scrub our pits, but we often dismiss the toe part of headto-toe hygiene. Here are the top three rules: • Wear proper fitting shoes, wash daily and limit conditions of excessive moisture content in shoes • Corns and calluses are areas of thickened skin resulting from abnormal pressure or rubbing • They are not the problem but rather the result of abnormal foot structure or function Bad shoes will cause • Ingrown • Corns toenails • Calluses • Other • Blisters

sources of irritation

Skin cancer and you OUR skin is the largest organ of the body and acts as a barrier to protect the body from injury, control body temperature and prevent loss of body fluids. But even something that does such a good job at helping to protect us, can itself be subjected to serious conditions such as cancer.

What types are there?

The three main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma. BCC and SCC are also called non-melanoma or keratinocytic skin cancers.

Rare types of skin cancer include Merkel cell carcinoma and angiosarcoma, but they are treated differently from BCC and SCC. Call Cancer Council 13 11 20 to find out more about rarer skin cancers.

What causes skin cancer?

The main cause of all types of skin

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cancer is overexposure to UV radiation.

When unprotected skin is exposed to UV radiation, the structure and behaviour of the cells can change.

Most parts of Australia have high levels of UV radiation all year round. UV radiation cannot be seen or felt and it is not related to temperature, but it can cause: • Sunburn • Premature skin ageing • Damage to skin cells, which can lead to skin cancer.

To help understand when to protect yourself from the sun, see The UV Index and sun protection times.